One More Story
by chapellefan
Summary: What did happen after Commander Shepard defeated the Reapers? And why is their a shiny red apple on Jack's desk? Find out in his epilogue. Rated M for language.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own or claim to own the Property known as Mass Effect. Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3 are copyrighted to the Bioware Corporation, Microsoft Studios, Electronic Arts and others. Please support the official release.

**One More Story**

"_Did all that really happen?"_

"_Yes, but some of the details have been lost in time. It all happened so very long ago."_

"_When can I go to the stars?"_

"_One day, my sweet."_

"_What will be there?"_

"_Anything you can imagine. Our galaxy has billions of stars. Each of those stars could have many worlds. Every world could be home to a different form of life. And every life is a special story of its own."_

"_Tell me another story about the Shepard." _

"_It's getting late but, okay… one more story."_

* * *

><p><em>Somewhere Deep in Space…<em>

"Kee'lah! What's going on?" A Marine said, watching from the Migrant fleet.

"It's some sort of collection of blue energy!"

Almost immediately, the engineers began studying the phenomena and scanning it. Unsure of what it was, the Admiral made a realization.

"My god. The Mass Relay… is repairing itself…"

* * *

><p><em>Grissom Academy…<em>

The teacher came in, weary. In the old days, she would've swore up a storm. But things were different now. She couldn't say 'fuck' and 'shit' like the old days. Naturally, she could've told Sanders to take this job and shove it where biotics don't work, but teaching calmed her. It made her sane.

And if all else failed, she could take it out on the kids. Calmed her a lot.

The battle for Earth was one of the most fucked up things she'd seen. That was saying something since she'd been inside a base where humans were literally liquefied. From the cannibals that ate their brothers, to the warped Asari nightmares that came to life to those machine giants themselves. She was glad that they were reduced to a support role. Given the way Rodriguez started to lose it at the sight of London, she knew they didn't have what it took to face the blunt of their force head on. It was all thanks to him. Even if 'he' didn't make it back.

"_Fuck you, Asshole."_ She thought. _"You're a fucking pussy like Mertock. Figures."_

The aftermath, of course, was historic. With a firey explosion, the Reapers were decimated. The Alliance and their allied forces cheered at this fact that they had won. They had finally won. The enemy retreated and their minions perished in the aftermath. However, all was not cause for celebration. In the aftermath, Michael D. Shepard was nowhere to be found. The Alliance, as well as the Krogan, Asari, Turian, Salarian, Quarians and all kinds of forces gathered together to hold a service funeral for the man who had done it. Shepard, the one human who aligned all the forces together for one battle.

A body was never found.

With the Mass Relays destroyed, interstellar travel took weeks of what had took hours. (The rumor in the halls was somehow Mass Relays had begun to repair themselves, to which the teacher called bullshit on.) As such, things had to be adjusted. The quarter session of Grissom Academy had become a full yearly session. Sanders had to make arrangements so that housing was more available. Oddly though, even counting the initial drop-off in attendance, many familiar faces were still there: Rodriguez, Prangley and David Archer. And once again, class was in session.

"Alright you f-f-freshmen! You think you're big shots since London! Let me see those barriers!" She sighed, trying to convert all of that trust into anger.

Suddenly, she spotted something in the corner of her eye. As if mocking her, she picked up the object.

A bright, shining red apple.

"Okay, who's the smartass? Archer? Prangley? This your idea of a joke, Rodriguez?"

The students looked around and shook their heads. However, a single hand shot up and the students stared at him. The teacher, pushed aside as the students began gasping and whispering. Then, the biotic professor saw who it had belonged to.

A rather sterned-faced looking Marine with an N7 Jacket.

"I hope this suffices." The man said, his deep voice attempting to sound coy. "Otherwise, I hope I'm not disciplined to harshly."

She touched him, feeling this defined chest, his abdomen, that stubble he never got around to shaving. Tears welled up in her eyes as she could only summon one response.

She cracked him in the jaw, sending him reeling back.

"**Dumbass!** You couldn't call or something like that!" She screamed, a strand of her auburn locks coming out of place.

"Guess that's my just desserts for being spontaneous." He said, rubbing his jaw.

"The rest of you, out!" She cried.

"But, Ma'am-"Rodriguez tried to say.

"**OUT!**" The class immediately complied and ran out the door. The teacher caught them staring into the classroom, but couldn't bother yelling again. She had a shitload of rage for him.

She paced back and force for a good moment, threw a biotic field destroying a desk, and used some choice words that she hadn't used for a long time. Then, she took a breath and sat down, backwards on a chair. All the meanwhile, the soldier stared with a smile on his face.

"What the hell?" She asked.

"Long story." Shepard said, sighing. "Let's just say, I was given a choice where I didn't like any of the options."

"So, what'd you do?" She replied.

"D. None of the above. I told the instructor to shove it."

"How'd you do that?"

"Force of will." Shepard smiled. "Let's just say a well-placed bullet can make all the difference."

Jack shook her head. Shepard went on with that vague shit again and she couldn't help but want to punch him in the jaw again. But one look of his smile and she went to butter again.

"What about that Alliance chick of yours, Williams?"

"Ash? Funny story. Joker piloted the Normandy and crash landed on some uncharted world. A hour hadn't passed before 12 Alliance Cruisers came, trying to 'rescue' them. The thing was, Joker was making out with EDI and told them to come back in 5 minutes."

"Dumbass." Jack sighed. "That's not what I meant."

Shepard had a long silence and looked out the window. He sighed.

"I'll admit; Ash and I had something special. But, ever since I met you, ever since that night, I couldn't stop thinking about you. And the thing that kept me going, the thing that kept driving me when Earth, Anderson, Humanity in general didn't cut it, was you."

"You pussy." Jack sighed, feeling his calloused hand on her soft face.

"I want to be with you, Jack. No matter what."

"This coming from the guy who got the Krogan, Turian, Salarian, Quarian, Asari and Geth to grab each other's hands and sing freakin' Kumbaya?"

"I'd always preferred 'Camptown Races' but sure, what the heck?" Shepard chuckled. "Now, I remember you promising me that you were going to get 'laid' after the battle. I hope that offer hasn't passed."

"Idiot." Jack said, jumping up, pulling his jacket and forcing him to a kiss that lasted the longest while.

Outside, a crowd of cheers, claps and whistles came from outside.

"Ma'am! Can I be a Bridesmaid at your wedding?"

"Screw you, Rodriguez!" Jack cried, going back to her kiss.

* * *

><p>"<em>But I thought the Shepard died."<em>

"_He did, but that wouldn't be for a very long time. He would grow old, have a family and live the life he deserved."_

"_You had me going there for a while."_

"_Well, you didn't think I wouldn't give a happy ending to this story would you? It's only fair; our hero deserved it. Now, it's getting late. Come along, Jack."_

"_Coming!" _

(**A/N:** So, how about that ending? So, yeah, people were really upset about that ending, which to be perfectly honest, didn't bother me as much. I even liked the little story with the grandpa and the kid. (Though one does wonder why he is telling a story full of profanity and sexual encounters to a child). The only thing I was worried about was Shepard dying, but hey, in the end, he got back up. As for Bioware's DLC and that whole 'indoctrination' theory, I'm keeping out of it. To me, I was thoroughly satisfied with the game. A bunch of my imports made it and it was one hell of a ride. It's just that ending that managed to trip and land on its face. But all and all I enjoyed the Mass Effect series, and am going to proudly play it again.

Sure wish the Dragon Age team would get off their butts, though.

Until then, Keep Writing!)


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